New baby girl! What do I need to know?

Hi there

I've had rats for about 3 years now and have just rescued a little feeder rat girl who Shelagh estimates to be about 7 weeks old or so. She weighs 180 g.

She's beautiful and so very sweet, but she seems very different from my boys! I've noticed that she is very active, but doesn't eat much, and she usually keeps to one corner of the cage. She runs around a lot, but tolerates petting and being picked up (though I try not to do it too much since she's still adjusting to me). She's going to be spayed so I can introduce her safely to my boys.

Are there any secrets, tips, and tricks for how to make a little girl rat happy?

She is likely very frightened as she is all alone away from her siblings and her mama. Babies need another baby so if it is going to be awhile, she needs another baby girl for a friend...... you can give her places to hid and a tiny stuffed toy to snuggle with - that has no small pieces that she can swallow when she chews it apart - as some are stuffed with tiny beads etc

If any of the boys will be over 12 weeks old by the time she is spayed or by the time she is at least 8 to 10 weeks old, then you will need to do gradual intros which take time so she will need another baby as a friend)

good luck

CongRATS on the new little girl!
I agree, she's probably just scared as she adjust to this new life. I would interact with her as much as possible. I would even put a small stuffed toy in there to keep her company until she can be spayed.

Hi SQ and Jo!

Thank you so much -- I've been working with her a lot and she is SO sweet. Loves to wrestle and play, and now she's starting to explore the cage a lot, and taking treats from my hand. I am smitten and now I'm picking her up and petting her a lot now that she's more comfortable. She also has a lot of toys in her cage. I know of course that this is no substitute for a rat friend. I have made a lot of calls to nearby vets about spaying, and am hoping that I will get someone comfortable to do it very soon.

I do have a backup plan though. If I can't get a vet to spay her, then I will rescue another baby female friend and then just keep them away from the boys (both are in escape proof cages: a two level ALT and a CNS).

In the meantime though, I'll for sure get her a little stuffed animal. <3 Should I make it smell like the boys, so it smells like another rat? Or would that scare her?

Little Cleo is getting O-spayed on August 8th. SO looking forward to her living with my boys